Asheville School Boys' Basketball Team Prepares For Two Holiday Tournaments

12.14.11

The boys' varsity basketball team at Asheville School will spend part of the December break competing in two holiday tournaments in back to back games for two days in a row.

The Blues will start their tournament action on Tuesday, December 27 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carolina Day Holiday Tournament, where they will play in the new UNC-Asheville arena. Following an early morning game against Mountain Heritage High, the Blues will turn around and play a 6:30 p.m. game that evening in the East Rutherford Cavalier Christmas Classic. The following day’s schedule is similar, with an early morning or afternoon game at UNC-Asheville’s new Kimmel arena and an evening game at East Rutherford.

Head coach Roger Harris says his team wanted to play in both tournaments, and he thinks it should benefit his team once the conference tournament arrives.

“These holiday tournaments get you ready for the end of the year when you’re in conference and state tournaments and playing in back to back games,” Harris said.

Harris is especially excited to play in the new UNC-Asheville arena.

"I think it's great for our kids that they get to play in a big time arena that Carolina has played in," Harris said.

While his team started the season off with a 2-4 start, Harris is encouraged by his team’s athleticism and their progress in the last couple of games. With the state football playoffs keeping many of his players from participating in pre-season tournaments, Harris says his team’s offense has been late developing.

“We’re playing pretty good defense right now, and I’m hoping we’ll get better offensively and that’s going to come with time,” Harris said. “This could be the best team I’ve had here because of their athleticism.”

This is the first year the Blues have competed in the Carolina Day tournament, says Harris, and he’s excited about the opportunity.

“These tournaments will help us continue to gel as a team. This group of guys just like to be around each other and our success in football has really rubbed off.”

Here is the boys’ basketball team playing schedule for the Holiday tournament: